Jigging apparatus for separating divided solids



Aug. 15, 1950 A. c. DAMAN 2,513,451

JIGGING APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING DIVIDED SOLIDS {Filed May 12, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l {W AR 77/05 CZ DAM/M INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Aug. 15,1950 .TAg -n' m 2,518,451

JIGGING APPARATUS FOR 'SEPARATI'NG DIVIDED SOLIDS Filed May 12, i945 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v 59 5a ARTHUR can/14,44

. INVENTOR. F i g. 5

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 15, 1950 :UNITED] STATES PATENT OF C JIGGING APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING DIVIDED SOLIDS Arthur C. Daman, Denver, 0010., assignor t Mining Process and Patent Company, Denver, 0010., a corporation of Delaware Application May 12, 1945, Serial No. 593,427

1 Claim. (01. 209 423) This invention relates to jigging apparatus, and more particularly to jigging apparatus for separating divided solids in accordance with the spe cific gravity of the constituents thereof. This invention also relatesto a circuit which includes a vibratory jig and auxiliary apparatus. I

.Jigging apparatus is particularly useful where one constituent of the ore or the like difiers relatively greatly in: specific gravity from another constituent.

The most successful previous jigging apparatus depends upon the pulsating movement of a water column moved upwardly and downwardly, as by a diaphragm pump, so as to produce a relative vibratory or pulsating movement of divided solids fed along a screening or separatory element. The screening element comprises a bed of shot or the like maintained on supporting grids by upper and lower screens, the latter being formed of heavy Wire mesh or perforated plate. The water column is disposed beneath the screening element, and the heavier particles,i. e., those having agreater specific gravity, tendto fall through the screening element to the bottom of the tank, beingcollected inatrough or hutch and removed either continuously or periodically. Also, the divided solids tend to become stratified due to the pulsating movement of the water column, with the heavier particles at the bottom and lighter particles at the top, so that the lighter particles can be overflowed from the jig.

'The heavier particles may consist principally of values to be recovered, such as gold or the like, and in some instances, a large proportion of the values in crushed ore, for example, have been recovered in the concentrate produced by such jigging apparatus. The lighter particles, in-such instance, comprise gangue or waste from the ore, which is to be discarded.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide an improved jigging apparatus; to provide such apparatus wherein the necessity for creating pulsations of the water in the apparatus may be eliminated; to provide such "jigging'apparatusin which Stratification and separation are improved; to provide such jigging apparatus varied at different points; to provide such jig? ging apparatus in which a gaseous or liquid fluid may be utilized to hinder settling; and to provide such jigging apparatus which is relatively simple in construction and efiicient in operation. Other objects and the novel features of this invention .will become apparent from the following de;

scription.

A jigging procedure for separating solids, in accordance with this invention, comprises passing solids downwardly along an inclined 0 raminous screen device, establishing a body of liquid divided into separate portion having decreasing levels in accordance with the inclina tion of the screen device, imparting a vibratory movement to the screen device, overflowingliquid and lighter solids from the lower end of the screen device, discharging pulp including settled solids from the lower portions of the body of liquid, and discharging a fluid into the body of liquid to hinder the settling of solid particles through which is applicable to the treatment of anytype includes such a screening element of varying separation properties; to provide such jigging apparatus in which selectiveseparation maybe as the screen device. The fluid so discharged may be a gaseous fluid, such as air, or a liquid, such as water. In further accordance. with this in vention, the discharge of fluid into the body of liquid, or separate portions thereof, is regulated in accordance with the desired settling eiiect in each portion of the body of liquid. Also, when the fiuid so discharged is a liquid, a jigging circuit may be established in which the overflow and pulp discharge are treated to separate the liquid from the solids thereof, and the separated liquid is recirculated by discharge into the body of liquid, or portions thereof, to provide hindered settling.

Apparatus particularly adapted to carry out the above method is illustrated in'the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of jigging apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention, partly broken away to show the interior construction thereof;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1, partly in section to show the interior construction; and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of jigging and ancillary apparatus, also constructed in accordance with this invention.

The jigging apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a tank T, preferably mounted in an inclinedv position and supported for vibratory movement by rods I 0. Rods it may be supported in a suitable 1 manner, asirom inclined beams H, a heavy tension spring l2 being provided at the upper end of each rodto absorbvibration and limit transmission thereof to the supporting structure. The angle of inclination and the vertical position of tank T may be regulated by turn buckles I3 disposed between cables [4 adapted to suspend the lower end of each inclinedbeam. II from a supporting beam E5, the upperrendiof eachiinclined beam'ibeinggpivot'ed on supporting beam I5.

For vibrating tank T, a motor l6 may be mounted on a beam H, and connected by a belt I! with a pulley 18 mounted; on: aishaft: l9: ex?

tending transversely of the tank. As in Figs, 2;.

shaft l9 extends through a housing 20, the housing having at each end an.enlarged section 21' in which suitable bearings, such as roller bearings 22, are mounted. The shaft I9 is provided" with a pair of eccentric sections fi which-rotatea within the roller bearings and impart. the vi.- bratory movement to the tank T. The amplitude of. such vibratory movement need not be great, but: theperiod" of vibration? is" preferably relatively'fastjsuch as; 1000"to- 2000 vibrations per minute To. prevent undue vibration. being transmitted to; the. supporting, structure, the eccentric. por tions: of the shaft. are preferably counterbalanced by eccentrically weighted'fiy wheels 24', oneifiy wheeltbeingmounted at each end of the" shaft; The. rim. of each fly, wheel is thicker atone side thanlthemther. to cause the. shaft andffiy. wheels to beboth statically and." dynamically balanced; The functiomofl the. fly wheels thus is.- two -foldfiirst gtthe fly,whee1's.maintain the. vibration of the tank. and' screening, elementlby inertia,. thus reducingthe power. requirementsof motor l6, and; second; the fly. wheels counterbalance the eccentric portions. of-tlie shaft toproduce a smooth runningmachine. Thus, the. vibrations. ofi the tank, are. not sporadic.- in nature but are. relae tively. smooth. and. uniform. without the transmissiennflannndue. amountl-of'vibration through rods I; to. the supporting, structure.

In. accordance with. this invention, the. tank T is provided with an. inclined forami'nous. screen device or. element; S; preferably. divided. into. two or more sections such. as: upper, intermediate, ancLlower. sections, andltank Tfis.divided'by partitionslfiinto an.upper.compar.tment 26;.an in.- termediate. compartment 211, and. a. lower compertinent. 28,. corresponding to. the. sections. of thescreening elementTS. Eachof'the compart, ments is=filled with liquidlsucheswater, to a level sufiicient to. permeate.- the respective screening element section: Thus, the level of" water. or liquid.in.each. compartment oi the tank. is maintained. at a. different leyelicorresponding, to the average height of the screening. element section.

llhe. various sectionsofthe. screening element may. beithesame, or difi'er, inpermeability. Thus, the. upper section may,. as.v in Fig. l',, consistof a fine screen 30 composed ofheavy dutywiremesh'; the. intermediate. and next lower section may consist of. a lower screen 3'! of' heavy mesh be! neath a bed 32' of fibrous material such as. coco mattingor the like; andthe lower section may consist. cfia lowen screen. 3],,a. bed 32' of fibrous material, and an upper screen 33 of fine: mesh.

Iniadditionto. effecting a variation in the permeability, of a section of the screening element, the; fibrous matting also tends, as in' gold ore treating" operations; tn collect heavy'parti'cles; as of gold, which may be removed? periodically.

It willbe understoodi. of course-, that the en'- tire' screening. element maybe made in the manner' of the intermediate or lower sections; or

any desired combination of two or more of the sections. To support the screen and matting of the various sections, bars 34 extend transversely of the tank, with the upper screens resting thereon, and the lower screens being attached thereto in a conventional manner.

Divided.-.solids:may beefed into; the upper end of the tanlr'in-asuitablemanner; asthrough an inlet chute 35, and pass downwardly along the screen element. Since the tank and screen element-arevibratediin a longitudinal, as well as a vertical direction, the fiow of divided solids along such path is assisted. Due to the difference in specifie gravity: of" the constituents of the divided". solids; the heavier particles will tend to settle downwardly through the screening elementtand: collect: in a hutch 36, or downwardly tapering collecting trough, at the bottom of each compartment, as in Fig, 1. (If desired, the compartments may be rectangularly shaped at the bottomr) Each hutch may be provided with an outlet 3''! fordischarging the collected settled solids; which willbe -value---carrying concentrates; in'the caseof ore-treatment. The collected solid's may bedi'scharged continuously; or'collected periodically, as desired, a flexible joint/-38 being useful for" theformer purpose} and ashutofi valve 3'9 for the latter.

To hinderthe settling of lighter" but" larger sized particles, and to improve Stratification and separation of the divided solids, a fluid such as air may; be supplied by aheader 4'0 and discharged into each' compartment through air inlet'M controlled by a' valve: 42. Each air inlet'..terminates in an upwardly extending pipe ifl provided with a distributing hood'44,,or'the like. The air'from: inlets 41' bubbles upwardly in each compartment, and a relatively low pressure of air is. preferably, utilized; The. pressure of air to, each compartment may. be regulated" in accordance withthe' tendency for material to settletherein; Thus,,f'or the upper compartmenta lower. air pressure may be utilized than for. the intermediate. and'l'ower compartments; However, the air pressure may. be regulated in accordance with the permeability of the section ofthe screen-. ing element of. the particular compartment, such as a. greater. air. pressure for the upper section than the other. sections whichinclude fibrous matting.

The. fluid discharged. into.- the. tank. to hinder settling; may, be aliquid, suchaswater, the pres, sure.- thereof. to. the. various compartments. being regulated. in..accor-dance. with. the desiredv settling rates andzconditions-imthe.variouscompartments. Such. liquidr may be: discharged intothetank thl'OUglhthE same-inletsasthe air, or. through a greater or lesser number; of inlets, as desired. A-lsog. difierent constructions. for. distributing the liquid: in: the: tank1 or compartments thereof, may be. utilized; such: as. nozzles;. spray nozzles pipes havinggperforationsor the like.

Divided solids, such as waste; which fail to passthrough orbe' retained by the screening element; are contained ina: pulp whichds discharged from the lower endof the tank over an overflow apron- 4'5; from: which: the discharge maybe carried to waste-- or subsequent treatment. The jigging apparatuswill also-handle material either wet'ordry; since only a relatively small amount of water is required: for wetting dry material sufiiciently for-successful'separation.

When the fluid utilized to hinder settling is air, a; water-on-liquidlinefli may be=utilized t'o supply water to each compartment through inlets 41, the liquid being regulated by valves 48.

In still further accordance with this invention, the jiggin apparatus thereof may form the principal element of a jigging circuit, as illustrated' in Fig. 3, which includes a tank T. Tank T may be divided into several compartments, and may be provided with a screening element having one or more sections, or a unitary screening element, similar to that of the intermediate or lower sections of the screening element S of tank T. Tank T may also be provided with outlets 50 for collecting the settled solids or concentrates from individual compartments or a single compartment tank, as the case may be; and also may be provided with an inlet 5| and an overflow line 52, along with a fluid header 53 and fluid inlets 54.

In tank T, the fluid discharged for hindering the settling of relatively light particles preferably comprises water or other suitable liquid, and also preferably liquid separated from the pulp discharged as overflow and as concentrates. For this purpose, the pulp discharged through outlets 50 may be combined in a single discharge concentrate line 55, and in the same manner as the discharge from the overflow through line 52,

.may be passed to suitable separators, such as settling cones 56 and 51, respectively. In settling cone 56, the concentrates are separated from the liquid and passed through a discharge line 53 to a further step in the treatment, or collected for shipment to the smelter. The divided solids separated in settling cone 51 may pass through a line 59 to waste, or to a flotation machine or the like, or to any other further step in the treatment. The liquid separated in settling cones 56 and 51 is conveyed through pipes 60 and GI, respectively, to header 53 for recirculation to the tank T. As will be evident, settling cones 58 and 51 are adapted to separate water for recirculation back to the tank T, and as also will be evident, the feed of water into tank T is substantially uniform and does not approximate the pulsations imparted to the water by reciprocating diaphragms of previous types of jigs. If additional water is necessary for make-up, it may be added to the water in tank T by a separate pipe, or by a make-up feed line 62 connected to header 53. The discharge of liquid into the compartments may also be regulated to maintain the liquid in the compartments at the desired levels. Also, suitable pumps, or the like, may be provided for producing the desired circulation of pulp and liquid, as in lines 5|, 52, 58 and 59.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that the apparatus of this invention operates efficiently and effectively to carry out the procedure of this invention and that the principles thereof may be applied to the treatment of a Wide variety of materials. The inclination of the tank and screen elements may be varied as desired, as well as the pressure of air or other fluid in the various compartments for hindering the settlement of lighter particles. In addition, the various combinations of screening elements that may be employed is numerous, and all of these factors permit successful adaptation of the apparatus to many different types of material.

It will be understood that apparatus other than that described may be used in carrying out the present invention; that various changes may be made in the apparatus, not only in carrying out the invention but in providing other apparatus which operates in substantially the same manner to produce substantially the same result; that various changes may be made in the operation and the parts of the apparatus of this invention; and that additional changes may be made, in addition to those indicated, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

Jigging apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain liquid; inclined foraminous means through which heavier particles tend to settle and having an upper section formed by a metal screen having a plurality of substantially uniform apertures, an intermediate section formed by a. metal screen supporting a layer of fiber matting, and a lower section formed by a, metal screen supporting and a metal screen above a layer of fiber matting; an inlet for feeding divided solids to the upper end of said tank; an outlet for overflowing liquid and lighter solids at the lower end of said tank; means for removing settled solids from beneath said foraminous means; and means for producing a vibratory movement of said tank.

ARTHUR C, DAMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 21,682 Stump Dec. 31, 1940 351,057 Litchfield Oct. 19, 1886 395,625 Moore Jan. 1, 1889 1,054,799 Skinner Mar. 4, 1913 1,106,923 Burnhart Aug. 11, 1914 1,590,339 Wood June 29, 1926 1,794,075 Hesse Feb. 24, 1931 2,238,338 Moir Apr. 15, 1941 2,301,937 Fahrenwald Nov. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PA'IENTS Number Country Date 148,168 Great Britain Mar, 10, 1921 253,139 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1927 528,091 France Aug. 9, 1921 

